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Rakshasa
"Bow before my master or suffer the consequences!" Since time began, the vampiric Rakshasa have been little but the servants of the Daitya. Wherever the Daitya have made a bid for power, there have been the Rakshasa. Whenever the Daitya waged war, the Rakshasa were their soldiers. Whenever the Daitya have needed a task done, the Rakshasa have been their tools. Such is the history of the Rakshasa. Such is their pride. Description An unholy family, there are several bloodlines within the Rakshasa, including the necromantic Bhuta, and the diesease-bearing Pishaca. They live to spread unhappiness, gaining Amrita from suffering and dark, tormented dreams. Few Rakshasa have ever achieved power in their own right, the majority being content to bask in the reflected glories of their masters, creating havoc and suffering whenever allowed. Pari of small ambition and intellect, they remain cunning nonetheless, and in the absence of Daitya have been known to lead gangs of thugs or assassin cults such as the Thugee. With the changing times, their roles have changed little indeed. They are the henchmen, the soldiers and guards. They are the tools of the Daitya, and they are proud. They have an affinity with the Actor realm. Appearance and Lifestyles The Rakshasa are a repulsive sight to behold. Short, twisted dwarves, they stand about 4' tall in their Avatar Seeming, and rarely exceed 5' tall in their mortal forms. Their skin is dark and leathery, their heads are oversized, their eyes huge and baleful yellow, and their fingers end in filthy talons. Painfully thin and bony, or pot-bellied and obese, they care little for what they wear, and even less for hygiene or cleanliness. Only a few desperately try (and fail) to emulate their Daitya masters. Unlike the Daitya and Naga they never have extra arms or heads. Their talons do Str + 1 damage. Bochcha Rakshasa are bullies, thugs, and toadies, tormenting their peers while attaching themselves to the nearest figure of authority in an attempt to win respect. They naturally defer to any Daitya they meet. Jangali Rakshasa are cunning and malicious, often engaging in wanton acts for the sheer delight of it, scrabbling to achieve what little power they can. At this age many seek out their local Daitya in order to pledge their subservience. Bara Rakshasa are the trusted (as far as that word carries any weight among the Asura) lieutenants of the Daitya, having slightly tempered the excesses of their youth. They are respected by the youth, for having achieved position of some responsibility (usually over the corpses of several rivals). Largely lacking in subtlety and control until their Bara years, the Rakshasa only follow destructive paths. They are thugs, assassins, and the soldiers of corrupt militias. They join gangs (both street and organised), or live as homeless vagabonds, spreading sorrow wherever they travel. While they traditionally infested cemeteries and leper colonies, their slow migration into the cities has gradually eroded this tendency. Only the few solitary Rakshasa still follow this old tradition, although some are attracted to mortuaries, hospitals or asylums. Birthrights and Frailties As with any Kith, Rakshasa have a few traits exclusive to them. Birthrights Breaker of Yama (Bhuta only): The Bhuta can animate a corpse. She must spend one point of Amrita and roll Manipulation + Occult (difficulty 6). Each success animates the corpse for 1 minute under the complete control of the Bhuta. The corpse typically has the attributes it had in life, but suffers a -1 to its Dexterity attribute, and a -1 penalty on all actions (due to reduced senses). It cannot think for itself, nor can it feel pain (no action penalties due to wounds). When commanded (and such commands should always be basic, clear and direct) by the Bhuta to perform a certain task it will set about performing that task single-mindedly until destroyed or the Amrita dissipates (at the end of the duration). Kiss of Lha-Mo (Pishaca only): The touch of a Pishaca can infect a target with a wasting disease. The Pishaca must touch the victim's bare skin, and spend one point of Amrita. Thereafter the victim must make a Stamina roll (difficulty 6, increasing by 1 for each failure) each day or gradually weaken, losing 1 Health level and suffering a -1 penalty (cumulative) per failure on all actions due to weakness. Fortunately, this disease is chimerical and any appropriate healing effect Maya can treat it. Otherwise, the victim may only rid themselves of the disease by 'disbelieving' it (gaining a point of Banality in the process). Frailties Mask of Bhairava: The Rakshasa are hideous. They Appearance 0, and they also suffer a -2 penalty on all rolls involving persuasion of any kind (except intimidation). Crimson Amrita: The Rakshasa are vampiric and can only survive on the blood of other beings. No other food provides nourishment, and they must drink at least a pint of blood a day or lose a Health level for each day they miss (that can only be replenished by 'catching up' on the blood they've missed). Views on Other Kith Unlike the Naga, the Rakshasa have had some contact with foreign kithain (usually in violent encounters). Foreign Kithain: Gah! Beat them when you can. They cannot replace the Daitya. Daitya: Our masters are everything we would wish to be. They are majestic, powerful, cunning and worthy of our service. Naga: The Naga have fallen, and cower far from our master's shadows. If you come across one, capture it as a present for the master, or torture it. External Links http://www.angelfire.com/ca4/dataweaver/play/changeling/rakshasa.html